Saine ‘For The Dreamers’: an At-Home Listening Affair

We’re taking it down a notch this week with Finnish producer Saine and his entrancing album For The Dreamers. Showcasing a sweet mid-tempo vibe, this 12 track album is Saine’s most recent release, so sit back and relax as we dive into Saine’s mind.

We started the conversation with the Helsinki native by exploring the inspiration behind one of the tracks off the new album, “Hijack”, and how it came about. “There was a vague idea in my head about a rolling, mid-tempo house thing with a bit of a gritty live feel to it,” he said. “Something that would work in a big system as well as fit the rest of the album, which as a whole is more of a home-listening affair. I never do ‘disco edits’ but I was trying out things with my Rhodes and different vocal bits from here and there. I got really into the “love thang” vocal from First Choice and wanted to try something with it for the LP. In the end, the track turned out quite different from where I started with it and never ended up being an ‘edit’ as such, it was great fun to work with.” Compared to all of the tracks on the album, there is a significant difference in style within”Hijack” and somehow it fits in flawlessly.

We then learned more about his production technique and what systems Saine uses to construct his unique sound. He mentioned that he has a simplistic set-up because he believes that having too many options kills creativity, at least with his technique. Renoise being the main DAW [Digital Audio Workstation] along with FabFilter and U-He, are among Saine’s go-to plugins.

“I like to use external gear to liven things up, though I’m not really into hoarding and try to focus on workflow instead – having everything close at hand when needed and getting the most out of what I got, ” is how Saine justifies his compact home studio. “Atmosphere has always been important as well – I can’t work if the lighting isn’t right haha. My very favorite bits of gear though, would be the Korg Polysix and my 1976 Rhodes piano.”

Some of Saine’s most memorable moments while producing is when, after days or weeks of inspiration-less studio sessions, it all just clicks and everything starts sounding the way you want it to. “It’s magic,” Saine expressed.

While getting to know Saine a bit more through our conversation, we asked him what he looks forward to throughout his day and he mentioned that he likes to take “life pauses” between things. “While I love producing, it can all get a bit overwhelming with new promos, messages filling up the inbox, and having a constant pressure to keep motion and maintain a certain standard with tracks.” Everyday, Saine closes down all electronic devices for an hour or so, and retreats instead to reading a book. “Cat usually joins in,” he said with a smile.

Saine is an introvert at heart, but music has always helped him maintain contact with the world. “It gives it a sense of purpose and connection, ” he explained. “Sometimes that can be hard to come by in a society that favors extroversion and accomplishing things over pretty much anything else, I guess music helps me understand the world a little better”.

If you haven’t heard Saine’s new album, For The Dreamers, we strongly suggest giving it a listen. It’s refreshing and mood-enhancing frequencies will take you to another level. We’d like to end by thanking Saine for taking the time to answer a few of our questions, and for letting us get a closer look at his production technique and day-to-day life.